Old Friends and New
by theQuibbleringQuibblerer
Summary: Hornet, now known as Catarina is researching a case at an old movie theater. A movie theater she holds very close to her heart. But when she arrives she meets someone she has not seen for a very long time. HornetxScipio
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The characters ALL belong to Cornelia Funke! Not me. Got it? Good.

Authoresses Note: I am posting this to see what happens, I am extremely excited that there is a Thief Lord section and I really want to contribute to it. Please **REVIEW** and let me know if I should continue.

I know this is very short, but this is just a intro kind of thing.

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Catarina Spavento-Getz was tired. She was about sick of being an investigative reporter. Not because she didn't like the job, necessarily, but because she was sick and tired of being stuck on stories about old abandoned buildings. Especially when she was required to research the story of a father who was traumatized by the loss of his son, never renovating an old movie theater. And it was even harder when she didn't have to do any research to know the truth behind the mystery, when she had once called that movie theater home, when her best friend grow up in a matter of seconds.

Catarina often wondered what had ever happened to Scipio. Apparently he used to go to the Spavento- Getz often enough when she had been high school, but she hadn't seen him since she graduated. She was twenty-two now.

She had once asked Victor (her adopted father) how old he reckoned Scipio had become. Victor reasoned it out and said that he supposed that when he first aged himself he would have been about Sixteen. It was hard for Catarina to take in, when she had been nine, he had seemed so much older, but in truth it was only seven years. Back then, she'd been called Hornet. After easing herself into a new life with Ida and Victor, she'd finally taken her name back.

Hornet stopped her car in front of the old movie house. Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car and walked around to the back entrance, the one she most used to using. She had never dreamed of using the front one. For all she knew there would still be garbage all around it.

As she let herself into the little room where they had all slept so long again she sensed someone else there. She quickly pulled out her pen light and peered around.

Sitting with his head down in a corner was a twenty-nine year old Scipio.

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	2. A new lead

Disclaimer: I own not, you sue not.

Catarina did some quick thinking. She had two choices. She could pull a cowardly act and turn around and walk away without Scipio even knowing she was there, or she could approach him, probably scare him out of his wits (if he had any to begin with) and find out what had brought him back after all of these years.

She of course, being the investigative reporter she was, did the obvious. She approached him. And it turned her life upside down.

"Scipio" Catarina called out softly at first, then again louder this time "Scipio!" He glanced up then looked back down again. He did a double take and this time he stared at her in disbelief.

"Hornet?" His brown eyes seemed to glow in the candlelight, and she didn't even realize that her feet had carried her forward to him. She was standing less than four feet away from him. "Hornet? Is it really you?"

He stood up. He was no longer the nearly scrawny teenager the merry go round had made him, but a man among men, tall, with broad, strong shoulders. He came forward to her and involuntarily she took a step forward until he had wrapped his arms around her in an enormous hug.

A few seconds later Catarina came to her senses and took a step back.

"Scipio? What on earth are you doing here?"

He chuckled, and for a moment he was the young Scipio she had known, when he laughed as a young boy and thought of stealing as a game that only the best played.

"You know, Hornet, I could ask you the exact same question. What are **you** doing here? **I **have every right to lawfully be here. My father owns it. And even though he hasn't heard from me in- oh about ten years, I still can pass my self off as him."

It was at this point that Hornet decided that the years had taken none of Scipio's arrogance from him. In fact, they had strengthened it, if it was possible.

"You however, have nothing but a press pass to view historical old buildings to vouch for you….I even have to power to throw you out of the building, if I so chose… or if you choose not to tell me what you're doing here."

Catarina gasped. She didn't think Scipio would be so cruel to throw her out of the building because she didn't want to tell him she was writing a story on him.

After all, a good journalist keeps her leads to herself, right? Or not. Judging by the way he was looking at her, it would definitely be wise to tell him. He always did keep his word. Usually.

So she told him. About how she couldn't seem to move herself up in the newspaper, and now she was assigned to trailing stories about old buildings.

And he told her. How he had went from following Victor in being an investigative reporter, to being a very famous and successful actor before giving that up, and to where he was now. Alone, in an old abandoned movie theater with only a lead on a possible smuggling operation to keep him company. Until she arrived.

Catarina realized that this definitely did put a twist to her whole story. She had been planning to make it a human interest feature about Scipio and his father, but now, a smuggling racket? Where the goods were being hidden in an old movie theater?

She realized that this was one story she was **not **going to let her editors favorite reporters get. She, Catarina Getz was going to get the story herself. But there was the slightly important fact that she was going to have to work with Scipio Mossimo (sp?) to do it.

Thank yous:

SCHIZOPHRENIC: riiiiiiight. Too much sugar? I know! Doesn't he! But seriously I didn't realize that hornetxScipio was such an obscure relationship. It seemed obvious to me.?.?

Hornet/Rhianne: Thanks! I'm sorry your sis is annoying….

Asterisk Truly: wooooow mysterious. ONE word! It is interesting I guess….

Ayla: Yay! I'm a dimwit! Well in my magical world of imagination they have cars in Venice. So there. And maybe I don't want to restrict my charectors to getting along in canals and boats. Hhhrrrmph.

Miss Lady Marauder: YAY someone I know from Miss Magic! I LOVE that pairing too!

Gnome6006: I'm glad you like the idea, and you know, she's a reporter so maybe she has a good memory or something. In my imagination, Scipio is a young 29. lets pretend he's like 25, to make the story more interesting. Or maybe 27.

Maria Casey Weasley: another weasley eh? Haha. Hopefully he will be! AIIIIIEEEE!

Child of Blood: I'm glad you think it's excellent!

Cassiopeia Black: I think your another one I recognize from Miss Magic. Or maybe I'm hallucinating…… I can't remember. I really liked this book!

REVIEW!... please?


	3. a decision to go on

Disclaimer: I own not, you sue not?

Authors note: I am so sorry it took me so long to update. But don't' worry it's nothing personal to my thief lord story, because I didn't update my harry potter one either.

Catarina realized that the only way she was going to get Scipio to let her track the smugglers was if she was very careful about what she said.

She gave herself a silent pep talk while Scipio wandered around the room, examining their old home.

'Get a grip Cara, you have a fabulous lead. You are fabulous.' And as an extra precaution, 'you have fabulous shoes and purses! What more do you need to convince this silly man in front of you to let you help him dangerous criminals? You are successful!'

Reassured, Cara ventured "Scipio? Hey, can I ask you something?"

Scipio turned to her with a humorous glint in his eye and said "seems to me that you just did."

Cara was confused. "what do you mean? I asked if I could ASK YOU SOMETHING!"

Scipio smirked at her. "yes you ASKED me if you could ASK something. Get it?"

Catarina rolled her eyes. "Whatever Scipio. I wanted to ask if it would be all right if I kind of… well… helped you with your smuggling ring."

There was a definite gleam to Scipio's eyes this time. "Provided that I let you write a big long story for Venician Times once we've finished, I suppose."

Catarina was tempted to skirt around the truth and say that she was just doing it for the experience or some other such false hood, but then she remembered, yet again, that with Scipio, the truth was the best route to take.

"Well, yeah. But only because it's the kind of story I need to move up. And also because, well, because I just found you after like ten years and I don't particularly want to lose you now."

Scipio's amazing smirk was back. Along with it he had one eyebrow arched above the other. Catarina had always wondered how to do it, she remembered spending hours in front of mirrors when she was younger, trying to succeed in what Scipio was doing effortlessly. She had never succeeded. His eyes seemed to be laughing as he replied

"Yeah, all right you can come. Just let me do the dangerous stuff, kay? And I really think that it was I who found you, don't you think?"

Even though she was basically indebted to him, Cara found her self a little incensed with Scipio. "Of course I'm not going to let you do all the dangerous stuff alone. I'll have everything equal, thank you much. And by the way, as I was the one to walk in the door, I found you. So don't' try to think your better than me"

There was a definite glint in Scipio's eyes as he came closer to her and put his hands on her waist.

"Oh I know that I'm definitely better than you."

And then he kissed her.

He looked down at her and said, with a reluctant impressed acceptance in his eyes this time and said

"in some things anyway."

Thank You's:

**Miss Lady Maurader:** thanks for review! Yah I just started your story and I really like it… I haven't gotten to chapter 5 yet, because I wanted to get this up but I will def. be reviewing.

**Cassiopeia Black**: I really thought that this was an obvious pairing when I read the book, but that's because I like tall dark strangers or something… no idea… why exactly.. is it you that has the story about the three Black sisters?

**Child of Blood: **(looks sheepish) sorry. Oops I did it again! … thanks for the review!

**Asterisk Truly:** I'm trying to keep on!

**Spectrorial Warder**: I'm sorry the way I told it was confusing, but I'm glad you liked it. That's…. nice that you are used to reading fanfiction and reviewing… what website? I do have fun writing though!

**Ayla:** More Scipio arrogantness coming up! (that's cause I adore books where the male lead is arrogant.)

**Blueicedragon129: **I'm glad you like it. Yah, my friends make me hyper too.

**Schizophrenic Squirrel:** I see…. How do you act when you DO HAVE SUGAR? I heart this pairing!

**Kinokokichigithing:** sorry, your name is very confusing, I'm glad I made you happy enough to throw a party! Amazing the way a story that has the pairing you want and the specifications you like can make you want do some thing crazy!

**Isley**: thanks for the spelling… thanks for reviewing!

**Rainbowkneehighsox:** I'm glad you love it! That makes me happy!

REVIEW! Oh and I've decided that the name of my story is kind of lame, so if anyone can THINK OF A NEW TITLE, PLEASE review and tell me!


	4. Smugglers?

Disclaimer: I own not…

A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaaack! Lol… I'm not sure for how long though.. .I'm really very sorry I've abandoned this story for so long…

Please REVIEW!

For a split second, Cara was shocked, but then her mind was full of a thousand thoughts and questions, foremost being, _What is this? I don't even know him anymore! Why am I letting this happen?_

But the fact that she felt like she still knew Scipio kept her from biting him, which was something she'd secretly always wanted to do, ever since she'd read a news article about a women biting a man's tongue off when he forced into her mouth.

Also the fact that before she'd fully processed this, Scipio had backed away and was looking slightly confused.

Well. She was too.

Scipio was looking at her with an unusually solemn expression on his face, when he suddenly grinned.

"shocked you didn't I?" he laughed.

Everything Cara had been about to say fled out of her mind so she said "Surprised? Nope." While her brain was screaming at her _SURPRISED? SURPRISED? How about shocked. How about bomble… oh whats the word? Never mind. Well? Tell him off. Yell at him! Ask him what happened to gentlemen!_

Cara ignored her brain, as always. Instead, she asked about Scipio's smuggling ring. He explained that through his amazing detective skills (Cara felt that this might be a slight exaggeration,) he had been going through some old paper work that belonged to the theater (how can you used detective skills when you're doing paper work?) and he discovered that there was quite a bit of activity surrounding the theater in his absence. Never one to sit behind a desk when he could be doing something dangerous, he immediately took off from New York to investigate the theater. He was just deciding where to look first when she had burst in and knocked off his concentration.

Once Cara had processed this, she realized that the best way to get Scipio to let her REALLY help catch the smugglers was to discover what they were smuggling.

She quickly unbuttoned her Dooney purse and found her pink pocket flashlight. She flicked it on and smiled as all the memories of her child hood came flying back. Funnily enough, she missed living so simply. Now there were all kinds of emotionally things to worry about, such as being kissed by complete strangers. Well, almost complete strangers anyway.

But whatever. She put her past out of her mind and focused on thinking like a smuggler. She realized that the area that she had once slept in had a distinctly abandoned look to it, almost as if someone had made it that way on purpose. She marched over to her old bed, wincing as her heels clattered loudly in the empty theater. As the light from her small flashlight illuminated her corner. There was a dusty looking bed sitting there, but it didn't look very familiar, as a matter of fact, it looked nothing like her old bed. This bed was rather battered, but it was definitely too new too have come from her childhood era. Scipio had apparently noticed exactly what she'd just spotted. He strode over, past where she was standing and lifted the covers of the bed to reveal a small handle. Cara couldn't help but shake her head at how easy it would have been to miss it.

Scipio's hand closed around the brass handle and Cara unconsciously turned her head, thinking of what could be inside the bed with trepidation. Her imagination was going 100 miles an hour, and she could just imagine a body inside. Or else, maybe jewels. Yes, that would be great! Like a pirates chest!

She heard the creak hinges and peeked. There was no body. And to her disappointment there was definitely no jewels. Instead there was powder. It was held in several ice cream containers, and before Cara could say anything, Scipio reached down with his hand and scooped up some of the powder. He brought it to his nose and smelled it carefully, from a distance.

He looked at her with a pensive look in his eyes and said, "methamphetamines. That's what this is. These people are running a full out drug operation. See, this other one is pot."

Cara, as usual, said the first thing that came to mind, which was "how do YOU know the difference between drugs? Experience, or what?"

Scipio looked at her exasperatedly. "Nooo. I WAS a detective you know. You start to recognize these sorts of things, you see."

She refused to let herself feel stupid. What was she supposed to think?

Scipio was oblivious to Cara's twisting thoughts. He was feeling along the insides of the fake bed and his eyes lit up in the vague light. He had obviously felt something. Cara moved closer to see what he'd discovered.

She definitely needed to get new batteries for this stupid flashlight. The lighting was terrible. She bent closer and she felt strands of her slightly curly light brown hair brushing against Scipio's.

As Scipio pointed out a small niche in the wood, Cara couldn't help but notice that his hands were slightly rough and worn, but in a nice way. She'd never been fond of hands that had been heavily lotioned. But anyway.

He opened the small compartment, and with a crinkle of old paper, pulled out what could only be travel itinerary.

Cara tried to peek over his shoulder as he scanned the papers, but she couldn't see anything. It really was enough to make her start wearing her contacts again. When he reached the end of the paper, he said with a puzzled air to his voice,

"well, looks like were going to South Dakota."

Cara just barely managed to quell her excitement at her being actually included in the mission, and instead asked

"South Dakota? What would a bunch of farmers want with drugs."

Scipio smirked at her.

"Do you really think that I know?"


End file.
